1. Technical Field
The invention relates to an automatic cash register system which comprises a detection unit for detecting goods to be paid for, a control unit which determines an amount of money to be paid for the detected goods, and an input unit for input of notes of value for payment of the amount of money. Further, the device includes a sensor unit for determining the denomination of the notes of value supplied for payment and an output unit for dispensing change.
2. Discussion
Automatic cash register systems are in particular employed in retail stores, for example in supermarkets. In particular, the customers themselves carry out detection of the selected goods to be paid for by passing a barcode provided on the goods by the detecting unit which is formed as a bar code scanner, so that the goods to be paid for can be scanned. Alternatively, scanning of the goods may also be carried out by a supermarket staff member. After all the goods have been scanned the automatic cash register system determines the amount due and displays this amount to the customer by means of a display unit, e.g. a monitor. Thereupon, in order to settle the amount, the customer supplies notes of value via an input unit into the automatic cash register system which, after the notes of value have been supplied, determines and dispenses the change to the customer.
Automatic cash register systems bear the problem that for payment of the amount of money only fixed denominations are accepted. In particular all denominations of one currency set are accepted, so that for example for payment of a small amount of only few euros a 500-euro banknote is accepted. As a result much change must be dispensed which in turn can lead to the necessity of supplying the automatic cash register system often with new change, which involves great expenditure of time and money.
One possibility of avoiding the above is to fixedly determine that certain denominations, for example 500-euro banknotes are generally not accepted. This bears the problem that in that case many small denominations must be supplied for paying high amounts of money. Moreover, this could annoy customers.